Welcoming Your New Dog Home
The Acclimation Period
The first 30-60 days (with some dogs it may be longer) with your new dog should be calm and quiet. Your new dog is going through a massive transition.. their whole life is going to be turned upside-down. It is up to you to make sure you are keeping your dog within their comfort zone and not overwhelming them! Hold back from having a lot of visitors over to meet the new love of your life and from taking them to busy areas like PetCo or dog park... your dog will be getting to know you, their new routine and taking in all that their new life has to offer. This is also a time where your dog will be most vulnerable. Use this time to allow your dog to settle in and trust you. Listen to your dog’s body language to ensure all of the situations you are putting him/her in are positive and are you are setting up for success.
The First Day... and Weeks that Follow!
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When you arrive home, before exiting the car, please make sure you have a good hold of your new dogs leash. Some dogs tend to DASH when they see an open door.. you want to make sure they are secure and safe, always! An escaped dog is one of the most common problems that people experience with newly adopted dogs.
When you get home, take your dog for a walk outside around the yard, then around the neighborhood and lastly bring them inside. Let him/her sniff around and get acquainted with their new surroundings. Even if you have a securely fenced yard, be sure to keep your new pup on a leash! A long line is another great option to have during this time. With all the newness going on around your new pup, he/she might be feeling overwhelmed and will most likely be hard to call back to you.
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Intros into the New House
When you bring your new pup in to the house for the first time, stay calm and relaxed to model the appropriate mood for your dog. Dogs are VERY good at picking up on people's energy and if they sense you are anxious or concerned, they will believe it is how THEY should be acting too. Stay close by as he/she explores - give your new pup the opportunity to sniff around and explore each and every room in the house. Even if there are rooms you want to have closed off to your dog, allow them to take a quick sniff of those areas to satisfy their curiosity. Ideally there should be nothing left around that you don't want them to potentially get ahold of. If your dog is nervous about something, use some treats to create a positive association; be sure to keep things fluid and positive! No pressure at all! |
HELPFUL TIP Buy a thin leash and cut the handle off of the end so he can drag it around without it getting stuck. Keep this drag leash on your dog at all times in the house. Always take off when they are left alone or in the crate. If your dog is shy, the drag leash can help by gaining gentle control of him indirectly. If you’re bringing home a more energetic pup, the drag leash can be useful to gain quick control over your dog if he decides to hop up on the coffee table or if he grabs a pair of shoes. Grabbing the end of a leash is WAY less threatening than trying to grab the collar! |
After the initial tour of the land, plan on some quiet time to help your new pup get adjusted. Settle in to your favorite spot, even on the floor and allow them to just be. Give him/her space if they are feeling a bit too overwhelmed. Keep things light and easy - reward exploration, but be sure to keep an eye on them just in case. The most important is to be observant, not to push things, and to take him/her outside far more often than you think you need to in order to jump start the house training process. DON'T WORRY if he/she seems a bit anxious and unsettled. It is common for the first few days, even weeks, and often goes away once the environment starts to become familiar.
House Training 101
The first few hours & days can make all the difference between this going smoothly or turning into a problem. For now, act as though you just brought home a puppy who has no idea where the bathroom is. Adult dogs may be potty trained in one house, but not another. They will need a refresher course coming into your home!
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RULE OF THUMB Always make sure he/she is always either with you, in a clear line of sight, or in the crate. Never leave them unattended! This way you can catch a quick "mistake" and guide them rather then allow that mistake to turn into a bad habit. |
Give your new dog the opportunity to go outside before you even bring them in. If your new pup is stressed or feeling overwhelmed, he/she may not go right away. Often dogs who are feeling a tad anxious won't... but give him/her the chance.
Set your dog up for success and get them into a consistent routine right from the beginning. Try to take him/her outside frequently, every hour or so. This helps them realize that a trip outside is in their future, and will help encourage them to hold it until that time has come again. Utilize the crate and keep your dog in the crate whenever you can't supervise them. Make sure to always bring the dog directly outside when letting him/her out of the crate. Coming out of the crate is a sign for your dog to release and you want to make sure he/she is releasing outside! Don't let him/her out of your sights, especially in the beginning and, of course, leave a drag lead on them while inside. The drag leash makes it so you do not have to "collar grab" your dog. Collar grabbing is a very invasive and confrontational move. More often then not, dogs do not like this! If your new pup looks like he/she is about to go to the bathroom, calmly and swiftly grab the end of the drag leash and guide them outside as quickly as possible. |
Don't yell at or rub your new dog's nose in it if he/she does have an accident in the house. This only tells them "never go to the bathroom in front of a person" and this will be problematic when you go on walks and works against all your house training efforts. Instead, look closely at the time when your dog had the accident and make adjustments - did you leave them unsupervised before they were ready? Did you let them go to long without taking them out? Potty training is all in the routine!!
Interactions with Family Members
The main goal of each interaction is for it to be a positive experience for the dog. That is mostly likely achieved if everyone is calm and low key so that the new dog is not overwhelmed. This is especially important if the dog is a bit cautious, and if there are children in the house!
EVERYONE (kids & adults alike) should refrain from invading the dogs space. This includes picking up the dog, hugging and kissing the dog, going over and petting the dog, bothering them while they're sleeping, laying down or eating/chewing a bone. All of these actions are ones that many kids will be inclined to do, but dogs find them very threatening.. especially when done by someone they do not know or trust.. which will be all of you in the beginning!!
EVERYONE (kids & adults alike) should refrain from invading the dogs space. This includes picking up the dog, hugging and kissing the dog, going over and petting the dog, bothering them while they're sleeping, laying down or eating/chewing a bone. All of these actions are ones that many kids will be inclined to do, but dogs find them very threatening.. especially when done by someone they do not know or trust.. which will be all of you in the beginning!!
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LET THE DOG COME TO YOU...ALWAYS! |
The BEST ways to interact with your new pup in the beginning:
- Be calm, patient, and approachable. That means standing or squatting quietly, turned a little bit to the side, and you should wait to let the dog approach. Everyone should talk in a calm voice and avoid hovering over the dog. If the dog approaches, scratching or petting the under the chin or chest is the best way to say hello & thanks for coming to say hi. If the dog shies away, hold off on any attempts to make physical contact ,at least for now....you don't want to force the situation, this can cause barriers to establishing trust and lengthen the adjustment period for your new forever 4-legged friend.
- Practice the 3-Second-Pet-Rule - to ensure you are not mindlessly invading your dogs space (i.e. petting them when they may be feeling overwhelmed) only make contact with them in 3 second intervals. This is an awesome philosophy we practice each and every day at Love Dogs! When you cease petting after 3 seconds, it will allow the dog an opportunity to move away if they choose to. Sometimes, with touch, dogs don't feel like they can move away therefore they will freeze up and endure the uncomfortable interaction. Read they're body language and observe!
- When interacting, always be sure to create and open and inviting space. To ensure you are doing this, never pet a dog when they may feel trapped. Look at the space around them, create an imaginary box with four sides. 2 (preferably 3) of those sides should ALWAYS be open so the dog can feel free to move away. This includes cornering on the couch or having multiple people pet the dog at once.